Reign of the Supermen #203: Pre-Crisis Sand Superman

Source: Superman vol.1 #233-242 (1971)
Type: BizarroNot a Bizarro per se, but certainly built on the Bizarro model, the "Sand Thing" was a creature that combined a patch of irradiated sand, extradimensional energy from Quarrm and Superman's powers and psyche into a super-stalker that plagued the Man of Steel for the better part of a year. It was all part of Superman's moving into the Bronze Age as discussed last Sunday. The same accident that made Superman immune to kryptonite also created the creature, and every time it would come close to Superman, the Last Son of Krypton would feel himself get weaker, even as the creature got stronger, more solid and more sentient, taking on part of Superman's very soul. Eventually, they would fight and the Sand Superman - who only ever wanted to LIVE! - would be returned to its home dimension after a rather strange negotiation run by Wonder Woman's blind martial artist mentor, I-Ching, and would take away a third of Superman's powers with it.

Is Quarrm related to Qward? There's certainly evidence to suggest the creature is from an anti-matter universe, as the two Supermen unleash great energies when they touch.
It was a vision of just what could ultimately happen if they took the battle to Earth...
...that makes the Sand Superman sacrifice his place in the positive universe and return home. He did, after all, have a piece of Superman's soul.

Hold on, was that an entry for PRE-CRISIS Sand Superman? That infers a post-Crisis version! Yes it does, and Reign of the Supermen will tell all... next Wednesday.

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